Vela: Real Sociedad looks to press on after strong start

The in-form forward continues to miss out on Mexico's World Cup qualifying campaign but is impressed with how his club's start to the season has unfolded.

By Tom Marshall

Sep 6, 2013 1:12:00 PM

While Mexico’s national team squad counts down the hours and
minutes until tonight’s crunch tie with Honduras, Carlos Vela
finished up training in San Sebastian on Friday ahead of a two-day
break.

The in-form Mexican forward has already made his mark with Real
Sociedad this season with four goals in five games and told the
local press that he is looking to hit even dizzier heights after
the international break.

“The truth is the start (of seasons) have always been hard work,”
Vela said in a press conference. “At the start the games seem long,
but motivation has helped us prepare, and I think that we saw that
in the (Champions League) playoff against Lyon.”

The Mexican also said he wanted to feel “important and valued,”
implying that he has found a home at Sociedad after an indifferent
time at Arsenal punctuated by different loan spells. After the
international break, Vela and Sociedad kick off the Champions
League campaign on Sept. 17 against Shakhtar Donetsk, with games
against Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester United to follow.

“The campaign is to enjoy and to push ourselves,” added the
24-year-old Vela, who hasn’t featured for the Mexican national team
since March 2011.